


The Light That Comes From the Darkness

by freaky_hanyou



Series: The Naughty (And Sometimes Nice) List [5]
Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Christmas Presents, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Magic, MakoHaru Secret Santa Gift Exchange 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-24
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-10-15 09:52:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17526497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freaky_hanyou/pseuds/freaky_hanyou
Summary: Haru uses the powers of water and light to defend Iwatobi from the forces of evil and darkness. He also has been using them to make his love intricate gifts as Christmas draws ever closer. Makoto wants to use his own new powers to make something for Haruka. But Makoto has inherited the powers of darkness, and controlling the darkness isn’t easy (not to mention Haru doesn’t want him using those dangerous powers,ever). But Makoto is ready to endanger himself to do this for his special someone, his Haru. But can light truly come from the powers of darkness?Free Fighteruniverse, but can be read alone!





	The Light That Comes From the Darkness

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aluckysoandso](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aluckysoandso/gifts).



> Hello there! This time around I am participating in MakoHaru Secret Santa Gift Exchange 2018! My gift is for the lovely [aluckysoandso](https://aluckysoandso.tumblr.com/) on tumblr! One of her requests was Magic AU, so I’m returning to a world from long ago, my first story in the Free! world: [The Free Fighter and the Evil Within](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1960962/chapters/4241616). This oneshot here can absolutely stand on its own, of course! Just borrowing my previous world building lol.
> 
> Here’s all you need to know: it’s set in regular Iwatobi, but Haruka uses the powers of water and light to protect the town from the forces of evil and darkness. And because Reasons, Makoto as of very recently can now use the powers of darkness. And Haru is Not Happy About It. That’s it!
> 
> ~~But if that intrigues you by all means please read my ancient story I’m still quite proud of it lol~~
> 
> Also, I base a bit of this story off of some science, petrified lightning is a thing: https://www.ripleys.com/weird-news/petrified-lightning-fulgurite/  
> I just kind of…magic it up a bit lol
> 
> At any rate, @aluckysoandso, I do hope you enjoy the story!

Makoto looked up from his homework for the first time in a long time, taking off his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose. _Almost there…_ In just a few short weeks, the holidays would finally be upon them. New Year’s. _Christmas._ Makoto had been looking forward to this Christmas for a long time. It would be the first Christmas that he and Haru would spend together as a couple. Makoto just knew it was going to be wonderful. They’d enjoy hot cocoa while snuggling under the kotatsu together, they’d go out together to see some Christmas lights…Makoto could already _feel_ the magic in the air—

 

_Click!_

 

Makoto spun just in time to see his window snapping shut, the edge of a large and shimmery dark blue scarf just barely visible at the corner before it disappeared from view. _Speaking of magic…_ Makoto thought with a wry grin. It would appear that the Free Fighter had paid him a visit when he wasn’t looking yet again.

 

Makoto approached the window with a warm smile etched on his face. Not only was Haru his quiet, thoughtful, lovable boyfriend; he was also secretly the _Free Fighter:_ a guardian gifted with the magical powers of water and light in order to defend Iwatobi and the world from the powers of darkness. Makoto would be lying if he said that he was unaffected by his relationship with the town’s protector. Even before Makoto had found out that the Free Fighter’s true identity was that of his best friend and lover, Makoto had always admired him for his strength and dedication (not to mention underneath that scarf he had sometimes looked a hell of a lot like Haru—which had never failed to inspire secret, forbidden fantasies about Haru as the Free Fighter _with_ Makoto—little had he known); but now that he knew for sure that Haru _was_ the Free Fighter, his heart raced every time he thought of how he unwaveringly fought the enemy using his crystal clear water whip, of how his piercing blue eyes, full of emotion and determination, peered out from his large iconic blue scarf as he moved as gracefully as the water itself—

 

Makoto gave himself a mental shake as he came back to the present. No matter what Haru wore or what he did, magical powers or not, he would always be able to bewitch Makoto with ease.

 

And now was no exception. Makoto’s heart fluttered as he looked down at the windowsill—an intricate snowflake made entirely of ice lay there, already starting to melt in the warm room. Makoto delicately picked it up, examining it: it was about the size of his palm, and a tiny number was scored into the front, indicating how many days were left until Christmas.

 

Makoto felt butterflies in his stomach double as he admired the gift. For the past few weeks, the Free Fighter would sneak up to his window every night when he wasn’t paying attention, and leave him a beautiful snowflake with a countdown to Christmas marked on it. The gesture made Makoto feel special and loved; Haru clearly had to take his time to create such gifts for him. He had the powers of water and light, not _ice_ —Makoto could just imagine Haru standing next to the freezer, concentrating on making sure the water held its shape as it slowly hardened—

 

Makoto let out a little giggle at the imagery. He loved this man so much. He felt like it was Christmas already. Makoto stared down at the half-melted snowflake. How he wished that he could do something this special for Haru. He wanted to make something just as spectacular, just as breathtaking as this for him, to really show him that Makoto valued Haru and their relationship just as much…

 

…but Makoto’s powers weren’t like that. He could only control the powers of darkness, and not even very well at that.

 

He sighed, briefly summoning a small dagger made of cloudy, blackened darkness into the palm of his other hand. After being long possessed by Kurakvo, the Master of Darkness, Makoto was left with the ability to control a small amount of the villain’s powers of darkness. He’d only had the powers for a few months, so he couldn’t do very much: he could really only control these daggers, and he always had to be careful. The powers of darkness were dangerous, and if he overused them he became overwhelmed by the _power_ and the sheer _evil_ that lingered on, leftover inside of him.

 

Needless to say, Haru did not want Makoto using these inherited powers. _Ever._

Makoto sighed again. What was the point of having supernatural powers if you couldn’t _use_ them, even a little bit? Maybe he could figure out something he could do, something just as magical that would be a perfect gift for Haru, to show him just what he meant to Makoto.

 

He absently fingered the silver chain of his necklace with his free hand. On it was a small wood carving of Iwatobi-chan, emitting its own faint blue glow. Makoto could never again truly be taken over by any outside forces of evil or darkness; Haru had seen to that by gifting him with this Ultimate Protection Spell. However, said protection wouldn’t protect him from anything he did _himself…_

 

Makoto thought harder, considering his options. Surely _some_ light could come from darkness, right? But what could Makoto do? With the snowflake now fully melted, Makoto returned to his desk chair, wracking his brain for something he could accomplish on his own. No matter what he came up with, it definitely wouldn’t be easy. Makoto’s powers were ominous at best, but volatile and explosive at worst; if he lost control of these semi-new abilities, he could cause great damage to the area around him, raining down a storm of destruction—

 

Makoto paused as an idea started to take shape in the back of his mind. _Hmm…a storm, huh…_ The image had jostled a memory of a discussion with Rei, who had told him of a phenomenon that could happen on the beach during a storm: petrified lightning. Under certain conditions and with enough heat and power, lightning can fuse sand into an intricate glass sculpture. Makoto gave the idea serious thought. He certainly had the power, that was for sure, but he couldn’t fathom a guess as to the _temperature_ of his darkness…

 

 _Maybe if I just use enough power, it won’t matter?_ Makoto mused. The more he thought about it, the more and more he liked the idea. He too could make something beautiful for Haru that he could admire and enjoy.

 

Decision made, he stood up from his chair and looked out into the darkened sky. It was late, and most of the residents of Iwatobi had already settled down for the night. _Perfect._ Makoto allowed himself a grin. The least he could do was try, right? What could go wrong?

 

…Okay, a lot could go wrong, Makoto allowed, but he was going to try anyways.

 

He put on his jacket. If it was for Haru, he’d try anything.

 

\---((To the Beach!))---

 

Makoto walked along the sandy coastline, trying to find the perfect spot. He knew he had enough power in him to attempt this, but what he wasn’t sure about was whether or not he had enough power to attempt this more than _once._

 

He finally stopped near a clean, empty area of white sand that gently sloped towards the ocean. This would work.

 

Makoto mentally and physically braced himself. His only chance at this working was to unleash everything he had, all at once, in one spot…and hope the attempt didn’t push him over the edge.

 

 _Haru,_ Makoto reminded himself, _you have to think of Haru._ Focusing on Haru’s calming presence, as well as their love for each other, had enabled Makoto to conquer and control the darkness in the past. He would need to be able to do that again.

 

Makoto focused on Haru’s soft gaze and kind, gentle smile—a look reserved especially for him. Makoto felt warmth tingle through his body all the way to the tips of his fingers and toes. He loved Haru with every fiber of his being, and he was ready to do his best to show it.

 

With those strong feelings in mind, Makoto stepped into a fighting stance, aiming both palms down toward the sand. He felt the powers of darkness rise up in him like a tide; Makoto did his best to harness them, to focus that power into his hands and charge it up like a lightning bolt. He had seen Haru use a similar charge-based attack before, so he tried to mimic it: he let the darkness grow and grow inside him until he felt like he might get swept away by the force of it, by the seductive call of the _power…_

 

A small evil gleam started to grow in the corner of Makoto’s eye, but he shook it off, sharpening his focus on a special blue-eyed swimmer—

 

He couldn’t take much more of this. He had to do it now, before he lost control completely. Makoto let go, and an immense, crackling streak of darkness shot out of his hands, hurtling at an unparalleled speed straight for a spot in the sand.

 

**_BOOM._ **

 

The darkness connected, and a spray of sand shot in every direction, temporarily blocking Makoto’s view of the beach. He shielded his eyes, trying to focus on the point he’d hit.

 

When the sand cleared, he saw a crater about the size of a basketball in the sand. Makoto looked closer. Something sharp appeared to be sticking up slightly in the center. _Did it work?_ Makoto moved to take a step towards the crater but promptly fell to his knees, feeling a wave of exhaustion overtake him. That had used more of his energy than he’d thought. Makoto slowly tried to stand up again, bracing his hands on the sand for support. He felt a sharp pang as he did so and stopped with a wince, bringing his hands up to examine them. Instead of completely receding like usual, the darkness lingered in both of his palms, slowly turning his hands black.

 

“Oh no,” Makoto said, sitting down on the sand completely as he tried to regain his focus; he needed to will the darkness away before it progressed any further. _Haru…Haru…_

“Makoto!”

 

“Haru?” Makoto questioned, turning to see the Free Fighter appear over a line of trees, flying towards him using a stream of water that he willed into existence from out of nowhere. He landed roughly on the sand, ripping down the scarf that covered most of his face as he hurried over to Makoto; he knelt next to him, taking a hold of him by the shoulders.

 

His eyes swept him for injuries as he spoke. “Makoto, what happened? Are you alright?”

 

“I’m fine,” Makoto said with a tired little smile that failed to be reassuring. He tried to subtly close his hands so that Haru wouldn’t see the damage, but of course that didn’t work; Haru’s gaze was immediately drawn to the growing darkness, and his eyes flared as he took both hands in his, examining them closely.

 

“What _happened?”_ Haru said again, panic now edging into his voice. _“He_ didn’t…” He turned away from Makoto, quickly looking around the area, “Is _he_ here? Did he attack you—?”

 

“No, Haru, I did this, and I’m fine!” Makoto insisted again, pulling his hands away from Haru’s. “I don’t want you to get hurt from touching them, though. Just…hold on a second, I’ll fix it…”

 

Makoto closed his eyes, shutting out Haru’s worried expression so he could focus on the Haru in his mind’s eye, smiling at him—

 

 _Haru’s probably mad…_ His own thoughts were interrupting his attempts to focus, and he doubled over, grimacing as the darkness leaked more steadily into his skin.

 

“Makoto!” Haru said in concern, and both hands reached around Makoto’s back to support him, to hold him. Makoto felt the warmth of his touch, and his chaotic thoughts were cancelled out by the reassurance, bringing to Makoto a renewed burst of determination and strength.

 

 _It doesn’t matter if he’s mad,_ Makoto told himself as he regained his concentration. _Because he loves me, and he always will._ Keeping that thought in mind, Makoto was able to keep himself focused on Haru, on how much they loved each other. He soon felt a calm begin to settle over him, gradually wrapping more securely around him than a favorite blanket. The darkness invading his skin slowly ebbed away, and eventually Makoto opened his eyes, flexing his hands experimentally. They looked normal; his skin had returned to its original color. He still felt like he’d been run over by a truck, but at least the immediate crisis was over.

 

He looked to Haru, who appeared to be exhibiting a remarkable amount of patience as he waited for Makoto to explain the situation. Haru didn’t have to ask again; he simply raised an eyebrow in a _Well?_ -type gesture.

 

“I…I take it you heard the noise?” Makoto asked sheepishly, and Haru gave him a deadpan look.

 

“If we weren’t so far down the beach, it probably would’ve woken up half the town.” Despite the sarcasm, Makoto found himself breathing a sigh of relief; he hadn’t realized that it would be so _loud,_ so he was glad to hear that he hadn’t caused any trouble for the people in town.

 

Then he frowned. “If we’re too far away, then how did _you_ hear—”

 

“I have a lot of practice listening.”

 

 _Ah, right,_ Makoto remembered. Haru used to deal with explosions of darkness like this on a nightly basis when he regularly fought Kurakvo, Master of Darkness.

 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Haru couldn’t help but ask, taking Makoto’s hands into his again to examine them.

 

“I’m fine,” Makoto said reassuringly, twisting his hands so he could entwine Haru’s fingers with his. “I just…overextended myself a bit and tired myself out, that’s all.” He indicated the little crater on the beach, and Haru looked towards it, investigating.

 

“I made something for you,” Makoto explained, and he let go of Haru’s hands to try and get up. It was slow progress, and Haru immediately came to his side, bracing him with a hand around his back. A stream of warm water covered Haru’s hand, strengthening his grip so he could better support Makoto’s larger frame. Together the two approached the crater. The beginnings of a small, spikey dark object poked out from the bottom, buried in the sand. Haru let Makoto down at the edge of the crater, and Makoto leaned in, gently digging along the sides of the delicate-looking object with both hands.

 

This too was slow going, so Haru sat down beside him, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Let me help,” he said with a small smile. He pointed a finger at the object, and water leapt from his fingers into the crater; the water coursed down the edges and contours of the object, and soon the water covered it completely, fully encasing it in a thin layer akin to a second skin. Haru flicked his wrist, and water shot out of the encasement in a solid pulse, repelling the surrounding sand backwards and turning it into mud. He reached down, gently pulling the object out of the crater. “What is it?” he asked, setting it beside Makoto for him to see.

 

“It’s petrified lightni—er, darkness,” Makoto explained, examining the fruits of his labor. It looked like a thin, angular branch made of frozen spindles of darkness. It seemed fragile, so fragile that it might shatter just from looking at it too long. And yet, because of this delicate intricacy the trunk and spikes of jet black drew the eye and held it: it was a sculpture of darkest night, a frozen representation of the beauty that can be seen in darkness.

 

Makoto smiled as he continued to explain. “Rei told me that under certain conditions, lightning can turn sand into a glass sculpture like this one when it hits the beach. I wanted to use my powers to try and make one for you, Haru.”

 

“But why?” Haru asked, confused. Sure, it was beautiful, but…“That’s such a risky thing to attempt.”

 

“I know, but you’ve been using your powers to make such lovely gifts for me, Haru; I wanted to do the same—”

 

“I’ve had my powers for years, Makoto,” Haru pointed out, “You’ve only had yours for a few months. I’ve had a lot more time to practice. And more importantly, you know how dangerous this is! You could’ve been seriously hurt…” Haru’s concerned blue eyes met Makoto’s, and he reached out to take his hand. “No gift is more important to me than your safety.”

 

Makoto couldn’t help but protest. “But—”

 

Haru shushed him with a finger to his lips. “Makoto, every day I can hold you, touch you…” He leaned in, replacing his finger with his lips for the briefest of kisses. “…and kiss you, all without having to worry that _he_ is going to try and possess you again. With that necklace on, you’re protected from the Master of Darkness’ powers of possession for eternity. But he can still hurt you if you’re not careful! And these powers left inside you…” His grip on Makoto’s hand tightened. “I can’t protect you from those. I know you still want to use them no matter what I say, but please don’t overdo it like this, especially not for my sake.”

 

“Haru…” Makoto said in reply as he brought his free hand up to cup Haru’s cheek, rubbing his thumb over his smooth skin. “I’m sorry I made you worry. I know you’re worried Kurakvo will seek revenge, and I know you fear what these powers will do to me…but Haru, these powers are going to be a part of me forever. I don’t want to be afraid of them. I do agree that I _might_ have overdid it a little here,” he allowed, and Haru gave him a dry look. “But I _will_ master these sooner rather than later. And then you’ll never have to worry about them again.”

 

Haru considered this, then gave him a rare, affectionate smile. “Well until then, will you let me worry just a little bit?”

 

Makoto smiled back at his teasing, relieved that Haru understood him. He needn’t have been concerned, though. Haru _always_ understood him. He feigned a sigh, playing along. “I don’t think I have a choice, do I?”

 

“Nope.” Haru leaned forward again, placing a chaste kiss to his lips. “You’re stuck with me.”

 

Makoto laughed, then shifted to lean his head on Haru’s shoulder as he felt the exhaustion take over once again. “Then if I’m stuck with you, I’d appreciate a ride home,” he joked.

 

“I can do that.” Haru stood, helping Makoto stand as well before looking down at the gift. “Although I don’t agree with the means, this _is_ beautiful, Makoto. Thank you.” He smiled again, and Makoto flushed prettily, muttering an embarrassed ‘you’re welcome’ as he felt overwhelmed by Haru’s praise. Haru admired Makoto’s flushed countenance for one more moment before he got ready to leave. Keeping a supportive hand on Makoto’s waist, he leaned down to pick up his gift when—

 

_Crack!_

Before Haru could touch the sculpture, a large fissure appeared near the bottom, rapidly climbing up the decoration. It branched out along all of the offshoots, and within seconds it had collapsed, turning into dust that was blown away by the gentle breeze. Haru mentally braced himself as he straightened and turned to face Makoto. This wasn’t going to be good. His heart twisted in empathy for his love, and he wished he could fix the sculpture himself the instant he saw Makoto’s expression: he looked heartbroken to put it mildly, disappointed that all of his effort and hard work had come to nothing. Haru’s grip tightened around Makoto’s waist. “I’m sorry, Makoto.” He knew that the words wouldn’t help, but he needed to say them anyway.

 

Makoto forced a smile for Haru’s benefit, but Haru could see that it was an empty one, put on merely for show. “It’s alright,” he replied, his words hollow. “At least I can say that I tried it, right?”

 

Haru would never say what he was about to say under normal circumstances, but right now he would say anything he could to make his Makoto feel better. “Maybe after you’ve practiced some more, you can try again—” Haru abruptly cut himself off as he watched Makoto’s gaze subtly slide away from his; the beginnings of a scheme were hidden away in the depths of his endless green eyes.

 

Well it wasn’t hidden well enough. Not from Haru. “You’re not going to try this again anytime soon,” Haru said with a tone of finality. “You’re going to hurt yourself.”

 

Makoto looked back at him, his expression begging Haru not to stop him. He didn’t even try to pretend that he hadn’t been planning to do that very thing as soon as he was able. “But now that I’ve tried it once, I can—”

 

“Absolutely not.”

 

“Haru—”

 

“No!” Haru exclaimed, temper cracking the tiniest bit as he turned to face Makoto completely, wrapping his other hand around his waist as well so that he held him tightly. “Please listen to me, Makoto! It’s too dangerous; I can’t…I can’t lose you again…” Blue eyes looked pleadingly into green, and all of Makoto’s arguments melted away. This situation was all new for Haru too, Makoto realized. He’d already been through hell and back when Kurakvo had held Makoto in his clutches, when they had tried to break through his possession. The thought of losing Makoto to the darkness clearly terrified Haru more than Makoto had thought.

 

Makoto’s expression softened, and he wrapped his arms around Haru’s shoulders. “You’re right; I’m sorry. I won’t be trying that again anytime soon,” he said, and he meant every word.

 

Haru’s lips turned upwards in a small smile, grateful that Makoto finally understood the depths of his feelings. “Come on, let’s go home. I’ll make you some tea, and together we’ll think of something else that you can make. Sound good?”

 

Makoto nodded, releasing Haru from his embrace so he could take them home. Haru let go of Makoto with one hand; he kept the other magically-supported hand around Makoto’s waist, holding him close as he summoned the water to carry them home. The water flowed out from underneath them, slowly carrying them effortlessly towards the sky.

 

 _Together…_ Makoto’s eyes lit up as he was struck by a sudden idea. “Haru, wait!” He struggled a bit, nearly falling several meters back down to the beach in his sudden excitement. Haru hurriedly set them back down, surprised at his outburst.

 

“What is it? What’s wrong?” Haru asked, afraid he had hurt Makoto somehow in his weakened state.

 

“I’ve got it, Haru!” Makoto exclaimed as he awkwardly put a hand on Haru’s shoulder even while Haru still held him upright. “Let’s try it together!”

 

Haru stared at him in reply, not entirely sure where this was going. Makoto’s words came out in a rush as he tried to explain. “What if we tried to make the petrified lightning _together?_ You use your light attack, and I’ll use the darkness, and with the two of them together I’m sure it’ll work!”

 

“Makoto…” Haru said warningly, and Makoto raised both hands in a placating gesture.

 

“I don’t mean now!” he clarified, “I’m not sure I could stand on my own right now to be honest,” he admitted, but before Haru could further chastise him for his idea he continued to explain. “But this way, I won’t overextend myself. I know that by doing it this way it won’t be something I’ve made for you entirely on my own, but if we try something together, I know you’ll feel better about me using my powers. And what I care the most about is how you feel.” Makoto looked at him with big, imploring green eyes, and Haru had to admit that it was a good idea: if they tried it together, Haru would be right there to ensure that Makoto didn’t get too carried away and do too much too fast. It could work.

 

Although…he wasn’t sure what would happen if they tried to combine the light and the darkness. They would have to be careful.

 

He put on his best strict expression as he addressed Makoto. “We’re not going to try anything until you feel like you’re at full strength.”

 

Makoto nodded enthusiastically in agreement.

 

“And if I think you’re doing too much, you’ll listen to me without argument and pull back on your powers?”

 

Makoto nodded again.

 

 _“And_ if I think the whole thing is too dangerous and we should stop, you’ll do so without protest?”

 

Makoto nodded again.

 

Haru pretended to think on it some more before he said, “I think it’s worth a try.” Makoto practically squealed in delight before throwing his arms around Haru, who made a loud noise of protest as he struggled to keep them both from falling back onto the beach. Once he’d restored their balance, Makoto grinned, giving him a sloppy kiss on the cheek.

 

“I love you, Haru-chan.”

 

Haru could feel his ears burning as he took to the sky, heading for home. “I told you, lay off the –chan.”

 

\---((Several Days Later))---

 

The beach was dark and quiet as the pair walked along the coast farthest from town, looking for a good place to undertake their experiment. Once they agreed upon a location, Haru couldn’t help but double check one more time. “Are you sure you’re feeling alright today?” he asked, unable to conceal his worry. “We don’t have to try this today—”

 

Makoto quieted Haru’s worries with a reassuring look. “I’m fine, Haru, I promise,” he said sincerely. “Although…” he couldn’t help but add, and Haru tensed, ready to whisk Makoto back home at the slightest hint that he wasn’t feeling one hundred percent.

 

“I think…” Makoto began, “I think it might help my concentration greatly if you would…kiss me first?” he asked, cheeks pink with embarrassment.

 

Haru blinked in surprise. “Really?”

 

Makoto nodded, cheeks reddening further. “You’re the key to my focus, so I think that having _us,_ uh… _fresh in my mind_ might help,” he explained, although his eyes were looking at anything on the beach except for Haru.

 

Haru felt a tiny spark ignite deep inside him as he walked closer to Makoto. If a kiss was what he needed to be safe, then Haru was going to give him the best kiss he possibly could.

 

Makoto’s embarrassment skyrocketed as Haru silently came closer; flustered, he started to take back his words. “I-I mean, you don’t have to! Of course, I’m sure I’ll be fine on my own, too—”

 

Haru gently cupped Makoto’s cheeks with both hands, tipping Makoto’s head down so he could press his forehead against his as he replied, “But you’re not on your own, Makoto.” He leaned in, pressing a tender whisper of a kiss to soft lips. Makoto made a quiet, pleased noise in response, and Haru came up on his tiptoes to get better leverage as he continued to leave kiss after kiss, each one a small representative of the love he couldn’t even begin to try to put into words. When he felt Makoto press more firmly back against his lips Haru reached up, tangling a hand in Makoto’s hair to pull him even closer; his lips found Makoto’s once again and stayed there this time, passionately moving against Makoto’s in a way that left no doubt as to his true feelings. _I love you,_ Haru thought, his silent words reaching Makoto’s ears with each subtle movement of his lips, with each caress of his hair. _I love you so much, Makoto._

Makoto’s hands found Haru’s shoulders, gripping them tightly; he felt a burst of warmth explode in his belly at each touch, at each gesture. He tried his best to reciprocate, wanting Haru to feel just as loved as he did. One hand strayed from Haru’s shoulder down his back, slipping under his coat to caress bare skin. His fingers traced up Haru’s spine as their lips moved together, moving to a rhythm that only they could hear. After a few more moments Makoto pulled away to breathe, and he smiled down at Haru, catching his breath.

 

“Was that alright?” Haru asked him with a serious expression. If Makoto needed more, he could always—

 

Makoto smiled widely and placed one last kiss to Haru’s cheek. “That was perfect, Haru, thank you. It was so perfect, if we kept going I’d probably forget why we came here.” He let out a little chuckle before stepping away from Haru completely, assessing the area around them. “Shall we give this a try?”

 

Haru nodded and refocused on the sand, making a small ‘X’ on one spot with his foot. “Let’s both aim for right here.”

 

“Got it.” Makoto lowered himself into a fighting stance, once again aiming both palms toward the spot. Haru moved into a similar position, and his outstretched palm started to glow with a blue light, the brightness slowly increasing in intensity from the center—

 

“Are you alright, Makoto?” Haru asked, and Makoto nodded in reply, not trusting himself to speak. With his lips still tingling from Haru’s kiss, he felt a lot more in control of himself this time; the darkness welled up inside of him, and yet this time the power’s seductive allure only felt more akin to a mild itch—something that he could easily ignore.

 

“On the count of three, okay?” Haru called over to him, and Makoto nodded again. “One, two… _three!”_ Both of them released their magic, and twin bursts of light and darkness connected with the sand at the same time; large clumps of sand exploded away from the spot, much moreso than when Makoto had tried the same thing alone.

 

When the sand resettled Haru was by Makoto’s side in an instant, looking him over for any sign of distress. “Are you alright?”   

 

Makoto took his hand and nodded in confirmation. “I feel fine.” And strangely enough, he did. He felt no pull of darkness, no surge of powers. On the contrary, all he felt right now was a desire to take Haru in his arms, to hold him tight against his body as he—

 

Makoto cleared his throat. “Let’s go take a look.” The pair approached the crater they had created; it was at least double the size of the last one. A faint sparkle of blue could be seen at the bottom. When they reached the edge, Haru used the same method as before to separate the object from the sand. He reached in, carefully removing what was hopefully going to be a solid sculpture from the crater. He set it down, and Makoto gasped at the breathtaking sight before him.

 

The sculpture was the same shape as the previous one, except it was slightly larger overall: spikes varying in size protruded from the sturdy-looking center, which was double the diameter of the original. The blue light that Haru had supplied had solidified with the darkness; the opposing forces had fused together in such a way that the two appeared as one. Electric blue bled seamlessly into darkest night, swirling and twisting together. They went together with each other so well that it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began.

 

 _“Haru,_ it’s…it’s…” Makoto started, struggling to find the right words.

 

“It’s perfect,” Haru announced, carefully picking it up for a closer look. There were no cracks on any part of the surface; it looked as if it had been made by a professional, and was in no danger of breaking any time soon. Haru set it back down, opting instead to move close to Makoto again, his arms snaking up around Makoto’s shoulders. “Your gift is beautiful, Makoto. It’s a wonderful early Christmas present.”

 

Makoto’s hands also found Haru’s waist, holding him tightly. “But…it wasn’t just me,” he said, and Haru just shook his head.

 

“This was all your doing, Makoto; I just lent a hand…and a kiss or two,” he couldn’t resist adding, relishing the blush that splashed across Makoto’s cheeks. Makoto still shook his head to disagree even as his lips slowly gravitated towards Haru’s, his smile softening tenderly.

 

“No, it was _us,”_ Makoto insisted, “I couldn’t have done this without you, Haru. You’re…You’re the light that comes from my darkness.”

 

Haru frowned, his good mood disrupted. “What do you mean, _your_ darkness? That’s not _your_ darkness at all; that was forced upon you—”

 

Makoto rolled his eyes in a gesture of fondness before closing his lips briefly over Haru’s to stop his protective tirade. “I know, Haru. I just meant it as a way to say I love you. I love how I feel when I’m around you, and because you’re there to love me, to support me, I feel that I can be the best that I can be. It’s because of _you_ that I am who I am. Does that sound better to you?”

 

Makoto grinned as Haru’s cheeks flushed with pink. “That’s not true…” Haru said weakly, though he was quickly being overwhelmed by Makoto’s warm expression, by the sparkle in his eyes. “You’re an amazing, kind, caring, thoughtful…”

 

“Haruu…” Makoto protested, embarrassed by Haru’s praise.

 

“…over-competitive, stubborn—”

 

“Hey!” Makoto said with a laugh.

 

“…person all without my help,” Haru finished, and a hand crept up into Makoto’s hair so he could pull him close. “And I love every part of you.”

 

Makoto felt suffused with warmth from Haru’s words, feeling pleasant tingles all throughout his body. Haru would always be there for him: to cheer him up when he was sad, to tell him when he was being crazy, to _love him_ in every sense of the word. Makoto could not believe how lucky he was to have Haru in his life, and no matter how hard he tried he’d never have enough words to tell Haru just how special, just how important he was to him.

 

“Merry Christmas, Haru.” Makoto said, moving closer to Haru’s lips again, needing to convey his unfailing love for this man when his words were failing him.

 

Haru, of course, understood immediately, and reached up to meet him for the kiss. “Merry Christmas, Makoto.”

 

\---((The End!))---

**Author's Note:**

> ~~Holy shit when did this get so long~~
> 
> Well I hope you enjoyed! <3 For any _Free Fighter_ fans that might be around from eons ago, I do still have that sequel in mind…but I also have an unprecedented amount of story ideas, so for now, I hope this pleases you :D
> 
> I’d looove to hear from you!
> 
> Thank you for reading!  
> ~freaky-hanyou


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